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The South Lawn of the White House was packed, where there were 11,000 ticketed guests not including White House staff, military, volunteers or press, according to a White House spokesman.

Pope Francis stopped and greeted fans outside the residence where he is staying before he got in the Fiat he is using during his Washington trip and headed over to the White House.

\"PHOTO:
ABC News
PHOTO: Pope Francis is greeted by a crowd in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 23, 2015.
>

President Obama and first lady Michelle greeted the pope when he arrived, a few minutes later than expected. The two men then proceeded to the podium on the South Lawn, standing side by side while the Holy See's national anthem was played, followed by the U.S. national anthem.

\"PHOTO:
Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images
PHOTO: People wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at the White House on Sept. 23, 2015 in Washington, DC.
>

President Obama praised the pontiff's humble nature.

\"I believe the excitement around your visit must be attributed not only to your role as pope, but to your unique qualities as a person,\" Obama said. \"In your humility, your embrace of simplicity, the gentleness of your words and the generosity of your spirit, we see a living example of Jesus’ teachings, a leader whose moral authority comes not just through words but also through deeds.\"

Pope Francis, who delivered his entire speech in English, drove home some political points early on, beginning by introducing himself as a son of immigrants. He quickly transitioned to discussing the importance of action when it comes to climate change, as well as helping the poor.

\"Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution,” the pontiff said. “Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation.”

He added: “To use a telling phrase of the Rev. Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it.”

Get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To start, just \"star\" this story in ABC News' phone app. Download ABC News for iPhone here or ABC News for Android here.

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